Essential Management Skills

Management done well looks easy.  Some people seem to be naturals when it comes to managing people, process or money while for others it just seems to be one big struggle.  If you are to succeed in management there are certain skills that you need to master, including:

Prioritising

As soon as you become a manager, multi-tasking becomes the norm.  You no longer just have to think about one thing, you now need to be able to prioritise your own and usually set priorities for others.  Key to this is knowing what your key deliverables are and ensuring that these are given appropriate priority.

Delegating

Management is all about getting results through others.  Sadly while many managers recognise this, many struggle to delegate effectively.  There are a whole host of reasons why people don’t delegate.  They worry that the other person will not do as good a job.  They worry that the other person will do the job better.  Often they will hold on to things because they like do them.  Another common reason is that it will be quicker to do it yourself.  The reality is that if you don’t choose to delegate, your chances of success as a manager greatly diminish.

Motivating

Motivating is all about moving people towards achievement of an outcome.  It could be a faster close down of a monthly reporting cycle, changing the way a process works or team working.  Part of your skill set as a manager is to understand what motivates those that you manage.  Everyone is different.  Some people want reward in financial terms, others want appreciation or recognition or a happy work environment.  If you are to excel as a manager, you need to keep people motivated.

Hiring or Recruiting

So much of your success depends on the results you achieve through others.  It is therefore key that you get the right people, with the right skills and the right attributes on your team.  Yet many managers are at best competent when it comes to recruiting and selecting.  If this is an area where you struggle, invest in acquiring the skills to be a successful recruiter.

Decision Making

People will look to you as the manager to take decisions.  An indecisive manager frustrates staff and leaves them feeling lost.  People may not always like the decisions that you take but will respect you more if you learn to take a decision.

Problem solving

Your job as a manager is to get results.  As you try to get results, obstacles will arise and part of your job is to find or help others find solutions to problems.  Part of the challenge is being systematic and making sure that you are tackling the real problem rather than something surface level.  Diagnosis of the problem is key before you start thinking about solutions.

Management is challenging but is also rewarding.  You can become an even better manager by focusing on developing the essential skills above.  So what’s your next step?